Review of The Social Network (2010) by Jon D — 26 Oct 2018

On the surface, The Social Network is a chronicle of the founding of Facebook. In that aspect, it is simply interesting. Whether you love or loathe the social networking site, its history is something remarkable.

That said, this film is not about Facebook. It's not even about social networking. It is about the aspects of humanity, and what it means to be a good person. It is about the ethics of capitalism, and the downfalls of youth.

I don't know anything about Mark Zuckerberg, outside of the passing information revealed in the media. However accurate or not, Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal here is fantastic. Only an introverted, borderline sociopath could accomplish something like Facebook. No one else would be willing to crush friend and foe alike in pursuit of their goal.

The Social Network could have been an incredibly dry and uninteresting film - it is a movie about the creation of a website, after all. Fincher's non-linear timeline and the musical genius of Reznor and Ross elevate the film beyond mediocre, capturing the attention of the audience and holding it until the end.

The film poses an interesting question to those that are insightful enough to see it. Is it worth it? Is owning the most successful social networking site in the world, worth billions of dollars, worth alienating everyone close to you? Is it worth going beyond awkward introvert into the territory of willful jerk?

Though The Social Network may not be 100% true, the liberties that it takes are believable and applicable to real life scenarios. As with most of Fincher's work, this film is definitely worth the watch.